Learner Driver Passenger Rules for Every State in Australia

Driving on a learner’s permit is an exciting step toward independence. In 2016 in Australia, 68% of 16 to 17-year-olds got learner licence. It is crucial for such a large number of people to know the learner-driver rules, including learner driver passenger rules for every state. 

There is no restriction on having passengers with learner drivers in most states. The passengers have to maintain some rules when driving with passengers. Also, you must be supervised by a driving supervisor who has a full driving licence.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explain the learner driver-passenger rules. We will also explain the other rules for learner drivers in all states. 

Passenger Rules and Other Learner Driver Rules By State

There are particular learner-driver-passenger rules for every state. Also, there are other rules along with the passenger rules. Learner drivers should follow the passenger and other rules to ensure safety. Because 55% of learner drivers who are aged between 16 and 17 had some sort of risky driving minimum once in their 10 recent trips. 

We have discussed L-plate passenger rules in NSW/VIC/QLD and for all other states and territories below along with other learners’ basic rules. 

#1 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for New South Wales (NSW)

In NSW, learner drivers can drive with passengers in their cars while driving. But, 

• The passengers must sit on the passenger seats.
• They must use their seatbelts.
• They must follow child restraints if they drive with children as passengers. 

There are no passenger limits for learner drivers since the NSW government imposed no restrictions on them. 

Supervision Driving

Australian learner driver supervision is a crucial factor to keep in mind. This rule is actually common for all states. In NSW, 

• Someone with a full driver's licence must supervise you while you are driving with your learner permit. This means no ordinary passenger can sit next to you on the driver-side passenger seat except for the supervisor. 
• Also, you must complete 120 hours of supervised driving if you are under 25 years old. Among 120 hours, 20 hours of supervised driving must be night driving. You must log the driving activities in your learner logbook.
• The driving supervisor must have a blood alcohol content (BAC) under 0.05. 
• The supervisor must not use any illegal or legal drug that may have an influence while supervising. 

L-Plate Display Requirements

• You must clearly display the L plates on both the front and back outside of your vehicle. 
• You can’t hide any of the letters on the plates. 

Mobile Phone Rules

You can’t use your mobile phone or any other mobile device while driving with your L-plate in any way. They include-

• Phone in hands-free mode
• Using GPS on mobile phones
• With the phone’s loudspeaker on
• Sending texts

However, 

• If the police ask you to show your Digital Driver Licence, you can use your phone to show them. 
• Also, if you use the wallet function on your phone. But this can only be done when you stop the vehicle in a car park, drive-thru, or driveway. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions NSW

Aside from passenger rules, you must follow some other particular rules with your L-plate in NSW. They are as follows. 

• You must be 16 years or older to get a learner licence. 
• You can’t exceed the driving speed of 90 km/h in any condition. Otherwise, you will get demerits points, and your licence will be held for a minimum of 3 months. 
• You are not allowed to drive any tow vehicles. Also, you can’t tow any other vehicles. 
• As a learner driver, you must have a zero blood alcohol concentration during driving. You must obey the learner driver BAC restrictions. Otherwise, you will face serious legal consequences. 
• But the zero BAC for supervisors is actually permitted under an alcohol concentration of 0.05. 

#2 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for Queensland (QLD)

Like in NSW, learner drivers are allowed to keep passengers in the passenger seats. Also, there are no passenger limits since the Queensland government doesn’t impose any restrictions on it. 

But you must drive under the supervision of a driver who has a full licence. The supervisor’s licence must be at least 1 year old. 

However, all passengers, including your driving supervisor, must follow the following rules. Otherwise, they will be fined. 

• If you are under 25, any of your passengers, including your supervisor, can’t use their phones in a loudspeaker setting. 
• However, they can use their phone hands-free, on a wireless headset, hold the phone with their hands, or keep it on their bodies. 
• Passengers must fasten their seatbelts. 

L-Plate Display Requirements

• You must display your L-plate from the front and back outside of your vehicle. This must be clearly visible from at least 20 m distance. 
• The minimum size of your L-plate must be 14.6 cm x 14.6 cm.
• The colour of the L letter must be black, and the background must be yellow. Other colours are not allowed. Otherwise, you will get 2 demerit points. If you get 4 demerit points in 12 months, your driving permit will be suspended for 3 months. 

Mobile Rules for the Learner Driver

• You must not use your mobile phone while driving in any way. Not hands-free, with wireless headsets, on a loudspeaker setting, hand-held, or on your body. You can’t even touch your phone, look at it, or operate it with your voice. 
• But you can use your phone when your car is safely stopped or parked. You can show your Digital Licence App to the police if they ask. You also can use your phone for other purposes when stopped or parked. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for QLD

Aside from passenger, L-plate rules, and mobile phone use, there are some other learner-driver rules you must follow. 

• You have to achieve a minimum logbook hours of 100 under supervision. At least 10 hours must be spent driving at night.
• You must carry your learner licence with you, whether physically or with a digital licence app. 
• You must comply with no alcohol limit. This means alcohol concentration in your breath or blood must not exceed zero. 
• You must be free from the effects of any type of drug, whether illegal or prescribed. 
• You must obey all Queensland road rules. 
• You have to obey other conditions for your learner licence if applied. 

#3 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for Victoria (VIC)

There is no restriction for passengers for learner drivers while driving in Victoria. But Victoria's government suggests that learner drivers take passengers after they have had more practice. 

Supervision Driving

• Learner drivers in Victoria must have a supervisor in the front passenger seat all the time during driving. 
• You must complete 120 hours of supervised driving if you are under 21 to take the driving test for a P1 licence. Among the hours, 20 hours must be spent driving at night. 
• Your supervisor must have a full driver’s licence, overseas or Australian licence. 
• The blood alcohol concentration for the supervising driver must be 0.05. 
• But if the supervisor is an authorised driving instructor, he must be among the zero BAC for supervisors. 

L-Plate Display Requirements

• As a learner driver, you must display your L-plate when driving. 
• You must attach the L-plate to your front and back windscreen. 
• The L-plate must be visible clearly from 20 metres of distance. 

If you don’t follow the rules, you will be fined if caught by the police. 

Mobile Using Rules

• You must not use a mobile phone while driving. 
• You can’t even touch the mobile phone or any other portable mobile device, wearable or mounted. You can’t do so even for phone calls and navigation. 
• You can’t look at the screen of the mobile phone. 
• Can’t keep any phone or other portable devices on your body. 
• You can’t set up any audio on your phone. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for VIC

• You must bring your learner permit or receipt during driving practice. 
• You must have zero blood alcohol concentration during driving. 
• You can’t tow anything.. 
• You must contain zero blood alcohol concentration while driving. 

If you don’t follow their rules, you will get demerit points, or your vehicle may go under impoundment. 

#4 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for South Australia (SA)

You are allowed to take passengers while driving with your learner permit in South Australia. However, your driving supervisor must occupy the front passenger seat. The other passengers cannot sit next to you in the front passenger seat. 

• Passengers must fasten their seatbelts. 
• You must use child restraints if the passenger is a child. 

Supervision Driving

• You must complete 75 hours of supervised driving to take the driving test for a P1 licence. Among 75 hours, 15 hours must be night driving. 
• Your driving supervisor must hold a full and current driving licence. 
• The supervised driver must have “no disqualification,” “not suspended,” and “not subject to behaviour issue” in the last 2 years. 

L-Plate Display Rules

• You must display the L-plate in the front and the back of your vehicle. Only in the back for a motorcycle. 
• The plate must be clearly visible from the rear and the front of the vehicle. 
• The size of the L-plate must be 145 mm x 145 mm. 
• The colour of L must be black, and the background must be yellow. 

Mobile Phone Using Rules

• You must not use your phone while driving. Not in any form. 
• You can use your phone to make payments while the vehicle is stopped or parked in a road-related area. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for SA

• You must carry your learner permit card or digital permit. You must show this to the police if you are asked to do so. 
• You must not exceed the speed limit of 10 km/h at any time. 
• You must have zero blood alcohol concentration during the driving period. You also can’t have the presence of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), Methylamphetamine, or MDMA (ecstasy) in your blood. Also, you can’t have oral saliva while driving. 
• When riding a motorcycle, you can’t get any pillion in the back. You also can’t have a passenger in a sidecar. This person is anybody, including your driving supervisor. 

If you violate any of the Australian driving laws for learners in SA, the authority will issue a disqualification notice against you. 

#5 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for Western Australia (WA)

In Western Australia, you can drive with passengers under your learner driver’s licence. There are no L-plate passenger restrictions there. 

• Since you will get a "Car-unrestricted (C class)” licence, the passenger limit is up to 12, including the driver. 
• The passengers must use their seatbelts.
• For children, you must use child restraints to fasten them properly. 

Supervision Driving 

• You must complete at least 50 hours of front seat supervisor requirements under your learner permit before taking your Practical Driving Assessment. 5 hours of these 50 hours must be at night. 
• If you are 25 or older, you are exempt from this minimum logbook hours. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for WA

• You must display your L-plate while driving. You can purchase the L-plate or can make it at home. 
• You must follow the learner driver BAC restrictions in Western Australia. The BAC in Western Australia is ZERO. If you exceed the concentration by more than 0 but under 0.02, you will be fined $400 for infringement and $200 to $750 in court. 

At the same time, you will get 3 demerit points. If the concentration ranges from 0.02 under 0.05, you will get a court penalty of $400 to $750 and 3 months of learner driving disqualification. 

If you are a novice driver and disqualified, your learner licence will be cancelled. 

• You can’t drive within the boundary of Kings Park. You must also avoid places where there are signs of prohibition for learner drivers. 
• In Western Australia, you can tow other vehicles by maintaining the other learner driving rules. 

#6 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for Tasmania (TAS)

In Tasmania, you are not allowed to carry any passenger while driving with your learner driver’s licence. Only your driving supervisor is allowed to sit next to you for driving supervision, which is mandatory. 

However, only people with provisional driver’s licence can drive with passengers in Tasmania. 

Supervision Driving

• You must record 80 logbook hours of supervision driving under a driving supervisor. Among the hours, 15 hours must be at night time. You need to log each and every learner driving activity in the L1 logbook or L2 logbook. 
• The driving supervisor must have a full Australian car licence. 
• The supervisor must hold a driving licence for at least 12 months before starting the supervision.

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for TAS

• You must display an L-plate on the front and back of your vehicle. 
• You must carry your learner driver's licence while driving
• You are not allowed to tow any other vehicle, not even a trailer. 
• Using mobile phones is strictly prohibited, even in any form. Not even in a hands-free and loudspeaker mode. 
• If the phone is set prior to driving, you can play content and use GPS if you don’t need to interact with your phone while driving. 
• You can go up to the vehicle speed of 90 km/h according to the new maximum speed limit for learner drivers. 
• You must contain zero blood or breath alcohol content (BAC) while driving. 
• You must pass the Hazard Perception Test before sitting for the driving test for your provisional licence. 

#6 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for Australian Capital Territory(ACT)

You are allowed to drive with passengers under your learner driver’s licence in ACT. However, your front passenger seat can only be used by your driving supervisor for supervision. 

Supervised Driving

• As a learner, you must complete 100 hours of supervised driving if you are under 25. 10 hours of these 100 hours must be at night. 
• You have to complete 50 supervised logbook hours if you are 25 or older. 5 hours of these 25 hours must be at night. 
• Your driving supervisor must have a full Australian driver’s licence. 
• He must sit in the front passenger seat next to you. 
• The supervisor must comply with zero BAC concentration. Also, no other drugs must not be found in the supervisor’s body. 

Mobile Device Using Rules

• All mobile devices are banned from being used by learner drivers while driving. You can’t use mobile devices in any form, including Bluetooth, hands-free, or loudspeaker. You can’t text and browse with your phone. 
• Otherwise, you will face penalties. This may be 20 penalty units or $632 for infringement for messaging, social media, using the internet, and accessing applications. You will also get 4 demerit points. 
• Also, the penalty for receiving or making phone calls can fine you 20 penalty units as court fines or $514 for an infringement notice. Also, you will get 3 demerit points. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for ACT

• As a learner driver, you must display an L-plate at the front and back of your vehicle. 
• You can tow a trailer weighing up to 750kg. 
• You must comply with zero BAC rules. 
• You must follow all other territorial road rules, or state rules (ACT is an enclave within NSW). 

#7 Learners Driver Passenger Rules for Northern Territory (NT)

In the Northern Territory, learner drivers are allowed to drive with passengers. 

• But, the passengers must fasten their seatbelts. 
• Also, passengers must fasten their seatbelts. If the learner driver himself, or any of the passengers, doesn’t have a working seatbelt, you can’t take a driving test for the provisional licence. 
• If your vehicle breaks down during driving, your passengers must leave the vehicle and stand at a safe distance from the vehicle. 
• You must ensure child restraints if your passengers are children. 

Supervised Driving

• You must drive with the supervision of a fully licensed driver sitting next to you in the front passenger seat. The supervisor must have an Australian licence, not overseas. 
• It is not mandatory to have any particular hours of supervised driving to get your provisional licence. However, NT authorities suggest you complete 100 hours of supervised driving to reduce the risk of your driving in future. 

Mobile Use Restrictions

• You are strictly prohibited to use any mobile devices while driving. You can’t do so even with the hands-free or loudspeaker option. 

L-Plate Display

• You must display your L-plate on the front and the back side of the vehicle. But don’t place it facing upward on the bonnet or boot. 
• The size of the L-plate must be 150 mm by 150 mm. 
• The L’s colour will be black against a yellow background. 
• The L-plate must be visible clearly. 

Other Learners Driver Basic Rules and Restrictions for NT

• You must carry your learner's licence while driving. 
• You must comply with zero blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
• You must not exceed the driving speed of 80 km/h.
• You can tow trailers.

FAQs

How many passengers can a learner driver have in Australia?

States or territories that allow learner drivers actually don’t impose any passenger limitations. You can drive with as many passengers as you can accommodate in your car. 

Are there any limits on hours driven per day?

No, there is no limit in any state or territory. But we suggest you take a break every 2 hours. As a learner, you should not drive for hours continuously.

Can ordinary passengers sit next to the learner drive?

No one can sit next to the learner driver in the front passenger seat except for the driving supervisor to instruct and supervise him/her while driving. Having a full-licence driving supervisor for learner drivers while driving is also mandatory in all states. 

What type of vehicle can learner drivers drive in Australia?

Learner drivers in Australia can drive different types of vehicles. They include utility vehicles, vans, trucks, motorcycles, car-based motor tricycles, etc. The vehicle types you can drive depend on the learner licence class according to Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). 

Final Words

The learner driver passenger rules for every state in Australia are almost the same. But, in Tasmania, you are not allowed to drive with passengers. However, you must drive under the supervision of a driving supervisor in every state. 

With responsible guidance from supervisors to L-plate restrictions, learner drivers can build a solid foundation for safe driving practices. Affordable Driving School, with over 30 years of experience, is here to guide learners in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We are here with expert and experienced driving supervisors to make your journey to get your licence both safe and successful.